The Hardest Things
by lesterlou
Summary: Zuko comes to a realization three years after the war is over. Zutara.


_Let's pretend that Mai stayed evil and that nothing ever happened between Aang and Katara. (I know Kataang fans it's not how it really happened, there are just so many more romantic stories to write about when it comes to Zutara). This occurs three years after the war. First Fanfic. Hope you enjoy!_

Zuko's POV

What am I doing here? I thought to myself. It had been three years and every time she comes to visit I always end up in the front of her door before I go to bed. I don't know what it is but for some reason this is where I always came before going to bed; I couldn't sleep unless I did. The first time I came was the night after the battle with Azula. My excuse then was that I just wanted to see if she was okay, now I had no idea why I would repeatedly come to check up on her. This was going to have to stop, especially after the news I received today.

"_Zuko?" Katara asked._

"_Yes?" I replied._

"_I…I…I'm getting married," she let out in a rush._

_My body froze immediately. She was __**what?**__ Wait? Why do I care? And since I couldn't come with any logical reasoning I turned around and scooped her up, twirled her around and congratulated her. "Who's the lucky man who's captured your heart?"_

_She was blushing when I set her down, but she had a confused look in her eyes. "So…you think this is a good idea?"_

"_Of course it is!" What? How on earth was that a good idea? She was only eighteen for crying out loud! She had her whole life ahead of her. Besides I highly doubted there was any man past, present, or future that could ever be good enough for Katara. But I was never going to tell her that, if she was happy I was happy._

"_Oh…"_

For some reason she seemed a lot more disappointed than I thought someone announcing their engagement should be. I thought about asking her about it but figured now wasn't the best time with the rest of the gAang about to show up so I dropped it.

I started to take a step away from her door but for some reason I couldn't finish that small step. One last time wouldn't hurt. I tried to convince myself. Just to make sure she was okay from our strange turn our earlier conversation took. I took a step back towards the door. She wasn't married yet anyway. I put my hand on the handle. She'd never know; and neither would her future husband. I started to turn the handle. I had run out of excuses. Except for one. I wanted to see her sleeping one last time and no moral conscience of mine was going to stop me.

I opened the door silently. I ghosted across the floor and before I knew it I was at the side of her bed. There she was lying on her side with her chocolate locks strewn out on the pillow behind her. The moonlight coming in from the window above the bed gave her an angelic glow. Her beautiful tan skin complemented by the red sheets keeping her warm. In short she was extraordinarily beautiful.

Wait. What was I thinking? Katara was always the girl who was like the sister I should have had. All of a sudden I was repulsed by the idea of her being my sister. I didn't want her to be my sister I wanted her to be the person I would wake up with her in my arms every morning. I wanted her to be the person I would pull into side hallways just to kiss her senseless. I wanted her to be the person she would come to when she needed a hug. I wanted her to be my everything. I wanted to be _her_ everything. My fists clenched at my sides. Normally I tried not to act the spoiled prince but for this particular instance I did _not_ want someone else getting all of those things.

But what did that mean? Did it mean I loved her? At the thought I sat down on the bed.

She started to stir and I held my breath. Fortunately she settled more into her pillows and continued with her heavy breathing. I let out a silent breath.

I leaned forward and brushed the stray lock that had fallen across her face while she was readjusting. Once it was secure behind her ear I couldn't seem to pull my hand away from her face. Neither could I help myself when I continued to stroke her face. I slowly leaned forward and pressed my lips to her forehead. The electric current running between us…was…well…electrifying.

I loved her. I've probably always loved her but was too stupid to notice. And now that I've realized how much she means to me I would never really have chance to tell her how much she meant to me. I pulled my hand away and as soon as I had it felt as if all of the warmth had gone out of me, which was really strange since I've had a living fire inside of me since birth. I ached to put my hand back on her face. I ached to hold her. I ached to lean down and kiss her. I ached for so many things that would never be mine. I could never ever have those things. I would never want mess up her happiness. I sighed and stood up and left her room, retreating to my bedroom where I lied awake for the rest of night.

I stewed about it all night. Wondering why it took me this long to figure it out. It was a night full of regret and my pillow probably has bruises from the many times I punched it. Then at sunrise I left my room for breakfast. If I didn't show up at breakfast Uncle would be lecturing me about how breakfast was the most important meal of the day.

However, fooling Uncle was never a talent I possessed. As soon as I entered the room Uncle had ascertained that something was wrong. And after five minutes he had worn my down with endless questioning.

"Who says?" Uncle asked.

"What?" I replied having no idea what he was talking about.

"Who says that you can't tell her how you feel now. She's not married yet."

"Well…I don't know but someone must have said it somewhere along the line," I shot back.

"It's not going to make life any easier, but it will make your life in the future filled with a lot less regret."

"AAAHHH!!! That's ea…"

"Easier said than done." Iroh said cutting me off, "But the hard things in life are usually always the things most worth it."

I just stared at him. How does he do that? He makes things that are so complicated seem so easy.

"She's actually not awake yet. Maybe you should go wake her up and tell her how you feel."

I tried to protest but before I knew it he had pushed me out the room, down the hall, around several turns, and I was back where I had started last night. At her door with my hand about to open the door. Uncle was right. I had to tell her or I would I wonder what could have been and I would probably never be able to move on if I didn't.

I quietly approached her bed and gently sat down. "Katara." Nothing. I went to shake her shoulder but my hand had a mind of its own. Instead of her shoulder my hand had found its way to her cheek and the warmth that I had lost last night returned to my body with a rush. I sighed in resignation, it's now or never. "Katara," I said louder this time. She stirred.

"Zuko," she smiled pressing her face into my palm. My heart stopped.

"Katara, wake up."

"What if I don't want to," she said as her hand emerged from the covers and laced her fingers with mine. My breathing hitched.

"Katara," I said struggling to talk without sounding breathless, "we need to talk."

Finally she opened her eyes, "About what?"

I took a deep breath, "Us."

"Zuko?" she asked sitting up with our hands falling in her lap.

"I realized something last night Katara."

"Yes…" she prodded when I didn't continue.

"I was thinking last night and came to the conclusion that I don't think it's a good idea for you to get married." Not exactly what I was going for but I couldn't turn back now.

Now she was fully alert and both of her hands gripped mine tightly. "What do you mean?"

"I ... don't want you to get married. Not to some watertribesman or any other man because I love you Katara," I said not breaking eye contact with her.

I sensed she hadn't taken a breath for several seconds now. "Katara?" Now it was my turn to prod her. Still she said nothing, "Please say something," I pleaded.

"Three years," was the first thing she said.

"What?" I was thoroughly confused now.

"You've had three years to do this and you do it now?" I tried to answer her question but she continued right on with her ranting. "I've known that I've loved you since you saved my life that night we fought Azula and I've love you since Ba Sing Se. But you, it takes you three years for you even to realize you love me. And I have no idea how long you've actually loved me. And not once in those three years have you ever given my any inclination that you thought of me as more than just a friend. Yesterday you were happy for me and now you don't want me to get married. Do you have any idea how confusing you are?"

"I know and I'm sorry, I've loved you since I saved you from that rock slide. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize but what do you expect from a family as dysfunctional as mine I didn't know that this is what love felt like. I'll do everything I can to make it up to you but please, _please_ just don't marry this guy. I'll beg if you want me to. I…"

"Zuko," she interrupted me one of her hands coming to rest on my scarred cheek. "Thank you."

Okay now I was really confused, "Huh?"

"Thank you for not making me wait three more years when I was married with a little girl that doesn't have your eyes, or your stubborn jaw, or your ability to make the world seem so much brighter with one small smile," she said all the while caressing my cheek.

A smile spread across my face. I reached up with my free hand and brought hers to me mouth kissing her palm. Her eyes fluttered closed. "I love you Katara," I murmured into her hand.

"And I love you Zuko," she said breathlessly.

Leaning in I kissed her forehead, her ear, her cheek, and on my way to the other side of her face my lips found hers and refused to leave. It was a soft, gentle kiss, but when I pulled away I realized how painful those few millimeters of separation were and I passionately reclaimed her lips; one hand cupping her cheek while my other arm wrapped tightly around her waist pulling her as close as I could. She retaliated by enveloping her arms around my neck, her hold on me pulling us both back onto the bed.

"Tea anyone?" Iroh asked loudly as he slammed the door open. Katara reacted by pushing me off of her onto the floor.

"I'd love some Uncle Iroh," she said while smoothing her hair and stepping out of bed. But in her haste to recover from the embarrassing moment of Iroh catching us kissing she tripped over my chest, which had her falling on top of me."Can't get enough of me, can you?" I said with a smirk on my face.

"Never," she replied with a quick peck to my lips before standing up and joining Iroh at the table.

"Nephew? Are you coming?"

Shaking out of my reverie I jumped up and joined them smiling everything seemed to be falling into place. Uncle was right, the hardest things were usually always the things most worth it.

The End

_Sorry the ending was a little cheesy but I didn't know how else to end it. This was my first fanfic so please review and let me know what you think. Constructive Criticism only please!_


End file.
